Flexible shaft-coupling.



PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

J. H. MONTSTREAM. FLEXIBLE SHAFT COUPLING.

n FILED n:

JOHN H.

MONTSTREAM, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT-COUPLlNG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed February 27, 1905- Serial No. 7,

To (07lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN H. MoN'rsTRnAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Flexible Shaft-Coupling, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a flexible shaftcoupling of the fork and blocktype, in which the connecting-pieces are subjected to compressional andnot shearing strains when in use.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple coupling of thisnature which is very strong and durable and which operates with aminimum amount of friction.

In this coupling the forks are so constructed and the blocks so shapedthat the torsional strains of use are sustained by solid portions of theblock way out to the periphery of the coupling and the frictional orsliding surfaces under pressure are merely small sections of theperipheries of the pins which hold the forks to the block and are verysmall in diameter, as they are only subjected to compression, andequally small sections of the pinsockets in the forks.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a side view of a couplingthat embodies the invention. Fig. 2 shows a transverse section of thiscoupling through the forks, the block, and the connecting-pins. Fig. 3shows an end view of one fork. Fig. 4 shows an edge view of the block.Fig. 5 shows a face view of the block, and Fig. 6 shows a side view of amodified form of this coupling.

The shaft ends 1 are duplicates and are provided with the usual meansfor fastening them to the ends of the shafts to be coupled. Each shaftend has a fork 2. The fork-arms are considerably narrower than thespaces between them, and when together the back edges of the arms of theforks are close to each other and the front edges are separated somedistance.

The block 3, which is located between the forks. has segmental portions4:, that extend outwardly to the periphery of the coupling occupying thespaces between the front edges of the opposing fork-arms. Thesesegmental portions nearly till the spaces between the front edges of thefork-arms, and small pins 5 are driven into the block between the edgesof the segmental portions and the front edges of the arms of the forks.It is preferred to recess the edges of the fork-arms and block,

. a very small and so that the pins are partly in the edges of thefork-arms and partly in the edges of the segmental portions of theblock. The edges of the block and the edges of the fork-arms are cutaway so as to allow free oscillation of the several parts.

WVhen this coupling is in use, the torsional strains are transmittedthrough the pins to the segmental portions of the block, and as the pinsand these portions of the block entirely till the spaces between thefront edges of the fork-arms the pins and the portions of the blockbetween the fork-arms are practically subjected only to compressionalstrains. For this reason the pins may be made very small in diameter,and as the only surfaces which slide under torsional stress are thesurfaces on the front edges of the fork-arms which oscillate on theperipheries of the pins the amount of friction is very small. As thepins are backed by solid portions of the block and are only subjected tocompression, much of the edges of the block may be cut awaydiametrically, so that the arms may be quite thick, thus insuringstrength and a long hearing on the pins. The pins arranged in thismanner hold the shaft ends together, so that it is unnecessary toprovide the shaft with bearings adjacent to the coupling for the purposeof holding the parts together. The drive in a coupling of thisconstruction extends way out to the periphery of the coupling, and theforks are so thick and bear against the pins in such manner that they donot spring and cramp on the block when in use.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the bearing edges of the segmental portionsof the block are reduced nearly to knife-edges and the pins, which arepreferably very hard, are grooved to receive these narrow edges. Thisreduces the oscillating friction of the parts to practicallyinappreciable amount, and yet this coupling is strong and durable forthe segmental portions of the block, and the pins completely fill thespaces between the forks, which are quite thick.

The invention claimed is 1. A flexible shaft-coupling comprising shaftends with forks, a block with portions extending between the opposingedges of the opposite fork-arms, and pins securing the fork-arms to theblock, substantially as specified.

2. A flexible shaft-coupling comprising shaft ends with forks, a blockwith portions extending between the opposing edges of the IIO oppositeforks, and pins between the edges of the block and the substantially ass 3. A flexible opposing edges of the forks, pecified. shaft couplingcomprising shaft ends with forks arranged With the back edges of thefork -arins adjacent and the front edges of the fork-arms separated, anda block between the forks and having portions occupying the spaces theopposing fork fied.

between the front edges of arms,substantially as speci- I 4. A flexibleshaft-coupling comprising shaft ends with forks, a block located betweenthe forks, and pins driven into the block between portions of the blockand the front 5 edges of the opposing fork-arms, substantially asspecified.

JOHN H. MONTSTREAM.

W'itnesses:

HARRY R. VVILLIAMs, ETHEL M. LOWE.

